Last Game: Earthquakes 0, Seattle Sounders FC 1; May 17, 2014; CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Wash.
The Earthquakes were an Obafemi Martins golazo away from taking a road point against Seattle Sounders FC, ultimately falling 1-0 after the Nigerian international scored the game-winner in highlight reel fashion on Saturday at CenturyLink Field. Dressing just 16 players – two less than the maximum allotted on gamedays – due to injuries, international duty and suspension, San Jose was forced into a makeshift lineup. That lineup included an MLS debut for Billy Schuler, a new position for Jordan Stewart as left-center back and Shaun Francis’ first game in nearly two months due to a strained hamstring. Martins’ wünder strike had San Jose on its heels eight minutes in with the fleet-footed striker chipping a shot over Jon Busch. Martins was charging toward a pass sent via Gonzalo Pineda and somehow directed a waist-high ball on target while just a couple yards from the endline. The Earthquakes played without regulars Chris Wondolowski (international duty), Clarence Goodson (international duty), Victor Bernardez (suspension), Alan Gordon (groin strain), Steven Lenhart (rehabbing from a sprained MCL), Yannick Djalo (groin tightness) and Andy Gorlitz (torn ACL). Due to the absences, the team’s bench included just five substitutes with an average of 20 career appearances each. By comparison, Seattle’s bench had 327 more career appearances than San Jose’s and an average of 61 games per player.

History of the Quakes-Seattle Sounders FC Rivalry
The two teams first met in regular season play in 2009 when the Sounders joined MLS … San Jose won all three meetings in the 2012 regular season, including two wins at CenturyLink Field in Seattle … Chris Wondolowski scored the winner in a 1-0 win on March 31 in Seattle on a penalty kick, following a foul by Marc Burch on Steven Lenhart … Lenhart then scored a dramatic game-winner on Aug. 11 at Buck Shaw Stadium, netting a stoppage time goal following a late equalizer by Sounders FC … San Jose then took a 2-1 win on Sept. 22 at CenturyLink Field with goals from Simon Dawkins and Chris Wondolowski … Seattle did win 1-0 over San Jose in a U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal match at Kezar Stadium. Current Quakes midfielder Cordell Cato scored the winner for Seattle that night … The Quakes and Sounders FC played three times in 2009, with Seattle taking both meetings at what was then called Qwest Field (2-0 on April 25 and 2-1 on June 13), before the Earthquakes registered a 4-0 triumph at Buck Shaw Stadium on Aug. 2 … In 2010, the Earthquakes edged the Sounders FC at Qwest Field, 1-0 on May 22 thanks to a Chris Wondolowski goal, while Seattle returned the favor at Buck Shaw on July 31 through a Fredy Montero strike … In 2011, the two teams battled to a 2-2 draw at Buck Shaw on April 2, while Seattle took a 2-1 decision at CenturyLink Field on Oct. 15 … San Jose won each of their three regular-season matches in 2012, each by one goal … Seattle Sounders FC knocked the Earthquakes out of the 2012 U.S. Open Cup in the quarterfinals, upending San Jose 1-0 on June 26 at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco … They have squared off twice this season, with each team winning their home game. In the first meeting, San Jose won 1-0 thanks to a Chris Wondolowski goal in first-half stoppage time … After dropping their second meeting of 2013 4-0 at CenturyLink Field, the Earthquakes bounced back for a gritty 1-0 win … Seattle opened the 2014 series with a 1-0 win at CenturyLink Field after a golazo from Nigerian international Obafemi Martins and then won their next meeting, a U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 match, in penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw at the Starfire Sports Complex.